waxhell

I've spent some time on here as a lurker, and finally had something that I wanted to post =)

Is it worth it to pay for the 2x EQMs promotion ($499) to go from 1P to 2P.

I'm going to be taking one more trip for work this year from SFO -> LHR -> SFO (Approx 10,376 miles total). I currently have 31,667 EQM for this year (just qualified for 2P a month or so ago). If I take the 2x EQM promotion, I'll have just enough to bump me up to 1P.

Is it worth it to pay the $499 to get 1P over 2P? I'm projecting roughly only 25k miles next year (probably on M tickets), as a chunk of my travel on UA will be cut next year. Thoughts on this? I'm especially looking for people who have spent quite some time in 2P and 1P and can really put a value on the differences between the two.

Or should I get my remaining 10k EQM by some other method?

I also may be able to score a match with AA next year on my elite status. I know this year they offered my company to match UA 2P to AA Gold and UA 1P to AA Platinum. My guess is they'll probably offer the same promotion next year.

mahasamatman

Welcome to FT, waxhell!

The biggest advantages to 1P are the 100% mileage bonus vs 25% for 2P (so about 19,000 additional redeemable miles for you next year), the ability to reserve exit row seats in advance, and access to Star Alliance lounges for international travel. Higher waitlist and standby priority is also nice.

jason8612

I think it is, incl if you do int'l travel. With lounge access to any *A, it helps a lot and like mahasamatman mentioned the 100% bonus, exit row seats, and higher priority is nice. Also if I recall, you get a 3rd luggage up to 70lbs.

geckoflyer

Welcome to FlyerTalk waxhell!

I'm debating the exact same thing at the moment. My travel this year has been spread among many different airlines - trying to save work some $. I am at 37.5 segments right now with 8 segments currently booked - and another 4 to be booked within the next week. There is a small possibility that I'll make it to 60 segments by the end of the year without the promotion - but I'm sure I won't know by the cut-off for registration.

As far as benefits - I fly internationally very infrequently so the lounge benefit doesn't do much for me at all. Exit row seating is typically full by the time I book my flights since I don't often have a lot of notice - so that doesn't work for me either. Higher waitlist and standby priority is nice, but I take a lot of short flights where I can always use 500-milers and work pays for those The one benefit I can see is the 100% bonus miles vs. the terrible 25% we get now. If for some reason I can get my company to pay for the promo, I will do it - otherwise I think I'm skipping it (unless someone on this thread makes me change my mind.)

...and again, Welcome to FlyerTalk! Great first post.

Chris

mahasamatman

If you're close, and you have the time, you could probably do a segment run to pick up the extra segments you need fairly cheaply. Though since all your trips are short, the 100% bonus isn't as valuable as it would be to someone who flies more miles per segment.

stevenshev

I doubt the marginal benefit of 1P over 2P is > $500. Really doubt it. Unless you plan to travel a lot more next year.

geckoflyer

I've yet to do a true mileage (or segment) run. It will be something I consider as it gets closer to the end of the year. There are very frequent ~$200 fares to the west coast. I could easily do an ALB-ORD-DEN-SJC/SFO/SEA/etc. segment run to put me over the top. Of course - I still need to justify why it would be worth it. Then again, even though I take short hops - double miles sure beats 1x or 1.25x for sure. I'll have to do some math re: how many extra miles I will theoretically accumulate to see if it's worth it.

Good point - thanks for posting!

iapetus

Welcome to FT, waxhell!

I dunno. I'm much happier as a Humble 1P, but then I don't have the perspective of a Bold 1K. waxhell, what airport do you use as your home airport? From everything I've ever heard, the higher the status you have at SFO, the better. Of course, that applies everywhere, but I hear it is particularly true at SFO. Your projected 25K on UA is the only mitigating factor IMO; is it at all possible that might increase? Also, if most of that 25K is going to be on M fares, you'd be that much more likely to get your comp upgrade as a Humble 1P.

Viking547

If you're planning to only do 25k of travel next year, with the 1P bonus, you're looking at 50k RDM. It really comes down to whether or not that extra domestic ticket or one international ticket (saver awards) is worth the $500 to you.

waxhell

My home base is SFO. There is a possiblity that it will increase (potential travel to China/Australia next year), however which airline we use for those trips will be unknown. Right now, all of my UA travel is SFO->LHR (or variations of that trip with layovers). Generally it seems that all of my travel with UA is international, so the longue access is definitely a plus.

I also have a significant amount of AA travel that I do, SFO->SDQ (about 25-30k a year)..

The rest of my travel is more or less strictly Southwest for all of my short hops (home base OAK).

Paiteaw

If you make 1P and choose the triple miles in July 07 from the 40,000 elite choice bonus, you can rack up a lot of RDM with an international trip or two next summer.
I figure a Southeast Asia trip from the east coast will net about 77,000 RDM plus a few thousand more if purchased online with a Platinum Visa card. Works out to around 1.7 cpm for my preferred destination.

elihu1991

i agree. not worth it at all in my opinion.

mahasamatman

You don't need to get to 1P for that - you just need to get to 40,000 EQM. As a 2P, you'd get 325%. As a 1P, you'd get 400%. It still may or may not be worth the difference.

Paiteaw

This is certainly true but I am looking at how to maximize the potential benefit of becoming 1P vs remaining 2P. Also, having lounge access and exit row booking is nice for those long haul flights.

SeattleFred

For Ms SeattleFred, the dealmaker is 1P access to the express security lines.